Not content to stop its irresponsible rumor mongering, the Huffington Post now has this theory going:
Was Cheney Hiding His Lewinsky?
Sirius radio's Alex Bennett just broke a rumor that the delay in reporting the news that Cheney shot an old man in the heart was due to an effort to hide or spin Cheney's female companion.
For starters, one does not break a rumor, one starts it. Which is precisely what is happening with this latest has Cheney stopped beating his wife-like nonsense. Let's look at the real evidence.
Pamela Willeford (shown right), ambassador to Switzerland and -- yes -- Liechtenstein, was part of the hunting excursion with Cheney and Whittington. And according to Willeford's account, Cheney and the ambassador were side-by-side when the shooting of Whittington took place.
Hunting in a line is not side by side, and HuffPo links to more HuffPo nonsense foolishly labeled analysis to support the rumor.
The real story is already emerging, if you're willing to do a little digging. Cheney and Whittington went hunting with two women (not their wives), there was some drinking, and Whittington wound up shot. Armstrong didn't see the incident but claimed she had, Cheney refused to be questioned by the Sheriff until the next morning, and a born-again evangelical physician has been downplaying Whittington's injuries since they occurred.
Suddenly this close to 80 year old man was with another woman? Really? Link, please? Because all news reports state that his wife was with him at the hospital and Armstong was observing from a car. That point of observation does not conflict with anything she has reported.
Armstrong said she was watching from a car while Cheney, Whittington and another hunter got out of the vehicle to shoot at a covey of quail.
Reports also state there were several hunters in the total party, not just three. And as for this silliness:
Neither the press nor law enforcement seems inclined to investigate.
Obviously wrong, again. Not only is the news all over the non-story, a complete report is being prepared by law enforcement. And see below from Feb. 13Th. Willeford made several press statements beginning with the Dallas Morning News. Yes, that's what you want to do when the Secret Service is going to great lengths to cover something up.
A few minutes later, Cheney accidentally shot Whittington, according to Pamela Willeford, the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland, who was hunting with the pair on the 50,000-acre Armstrong Ranch in South Texas.
Cheney sprayed Whittington with bird shot across his face, shoulder and chest, said Katharine Armstrong, whose family owns the ranch in Kenedy County.
"He got peppered pretty good," she said. "He's going to be sore and bruised. But he was talking and communicating the whole time."
Armstrong was with the hunting party but in a nearby vehicle with her sister.
Cheney ran to Whittington and was the first to reach him, Armstrong said. Within seconds, Cheney's security detail, some of whom are medically trained, responded, and the others stepped back. The security team called for an ambulance, Armstrong said.
As for the following, no one, not even a deputy simply knocks on a door and gains access to a VP, especially when other arrangements have already been made and said individual is carrying a gun, for heaven's sake.
Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren said that about an hour after Cheney shot Whittington, the head of the Secret Service‘s local office called the Kenedy County sheriff to report the accident. "They made arrangements at the sheriff‘s request to have deputies come out and interview the vice president the following morning at 8 a.m. and that indeed did happen," Zahren said.
At least one deputy showed up at the ranch‘s front gate Saturday evening and asked to speak to Cheney but was turned away by the Secret Service, Zahren said. There was some miscommunication that arrangements already had been made to interview Cheney the next morning, he said.
Gilbert San Miguel, chief deputy sheriff for Kenedy County, said the department‘s report had not been completed Monday and that it was being handled as a hunting accident, although he would not comment about what exactly they were investigating. Both the sheriff‘s department and the state have determined that alcohol did not appear to be a factor.
The incident was reported to police within an hour or so. The total composition of the hunting party, given this was a private trip, is nobodies business, really. Obviously, biased so-called pundits are throwing everything they can against the wall in hopes something sticks. So far, nothing has.
Evidently what they are so desperately throwing has a lot more stink to it, than stick.
Was he drunk when they drove the SUV through the bridge? Did he do anything to try to get the girl out of teh SUV? Why did it take so long to stagger back to the party for another drink...I mean help. Did the cops actually talk to him or did pop's liquor smuggling money take care of that nasty shooting incident?
Posted by: Rick | Wednesday, February 15, 2006 at 11:47 PM